hi im a friend of R' Gedaliah Press
what makes sometings tashmish kedusha, and somethings tashmish mitzvah?
if the difference is divrei Torah, why is a shul or the beis hamikdash kadosh?
curious related question- is there an inyan to go to a shul just to do a simple mitzvah, not related to davening or learning?
lechora, "ohev hashem shaarei tzion" he loves it to do any mitzvah there, not only tefilah?
ariel grenberg, yavneel Israel
1. You are correct that the difference is whether something serves Divrei Torah or whether it does not serve Divrei Torah. A Beis Hamikdash or shul indeed serves Divrei Torah, as it is the place where the Sefer Torah (or Luchos) is stored. However, it is considered to have its own Halachic holiness as well, as it is considered a Mikdash which the Torah considers holy, even if it has been destroyed (see for example Mishnah Berurah 151:1,28).
2. There is indeed a Mitzvah to do anything that it is permitted to be done in a Shul, as the verse famously states, "Ashrei Yoshvei Veisecha." This is the ruling of the Shulchan Aruch (151:1).
All the best,
Yaakov Montrose